Source: Wainuiomata Historical Museum Society
View of The Village, circa 1941. The Wainuiomata Transport building to the right, was known as Claude’s shop. It also served Mr Clause as his office. Originally located further up Moores Valley Road, the building was moved to this spot and then expanded.
The small building in front of the person on the left is the Creamery, part of the cheese factory that was behind Claude’s shop. Dairy farmers would drop off their milk cans here in the morning, and schoolchildren travelling by horse and cart would deliver the cans, later collecting the empties on their way home. The factory cleaned the cans using boiling water heated by a wood-fired boiler. This building was originally constructed in the late 1890s but didn’t seem to have lasted long in its initial form. Over the years, it became part of various businesses, including a dairy, grocery store, motorbike shop (Honda City), second-hand shop, and more recently, a record shop.
Credits
Special thanks to Carl Smith for some information in this article.
Special thanks to Vicky Alexander for some information in this article.
